The Inexpressible
by Waffleness
Summary: Nagato attempts to express herself in the only way she knows how. Meanwhile, Kyon comes to terms with his alien friend. Set after The Wavering.
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! Quick intro here. I wanted to do a more introspective look into Nagato and Kyon's relationship so it might be a little slow-going if you're into that sort of thing.

This takes place after the incidents of _The Wavering of Haruhi Suzumiya_ (light novel)

* * *

 _"That's the way it is. I prefer the original world after all. This one just doesn't suit me. I'm sorry, Nagato. I prefer the Nagato I've known up till now over you. Also, you look better without glasses."_

* * *

"Nagato?"

"Yes?"

Kyon stared at the ever-present figure sitting at the edge of the club's table. It was a typical sight, one he was accustomed to. However, something was different.

"You aren't reading today?"

A book usually accompanied Nagato Yuki. And by usually, it was typically always, no matter what, definitely. To see her without one, especially in her signature seat… now there's an oddity.

Kyon scratched his cheek, aware that the question might seem weird. Maybe not for the alien, perhaps, but simply as a question that friends ask each other. Perhaps it was insensitive. He backed up.

"I mean, usually…"

Nagato stared at him with those big, impassive eyes. She blinked once. Looked down at her empty lap, and then back up at Kyon. She blinked again. The gold flecks of her eyes catching the setting sun through the window.

"I haven't gone to get a new one," she answered in that straightforward voice of hers.

"Is that so? Come to think of it, I never thought about where you got all your books before you learned about the library... Did you just read the ones in the clubroom?"

"Yes," was her succinct answer and Kyon didn't press her further.

He moved to sit at one of the chairs, just now realizing the surprising emptiness of the clubroom. Where were the others? Kyon wasn't one to complain though. The silence was a welcome attribute as he leaned his head on his arms and watched Nagato sitting at the window. She was looking out into the field below her with a serene expression. Kyon found the scene picturesque. He sat up and gave her a look.

"Nagato."

"Yes?"

"Why haven't you gone to get a new book?" 'It seems unlike you…' was the unspoken second half. 'Then again,' Kyon reasoned, 'who am I to know about what you do and don't do.'

"Hmmm," Kyon half whispered to himself, tapping his index finger on his chin. He looked up to see Nagato peering at him, head half to the side. She seemed to be calculating a response but any sort of emotion was lost on him.

"I haven't felt like reading."

'Now that's odd,' Kyon thought. He figured Nagato was a pursuer of knowledge. Her very character relied on the fact that Nagato was a reader; the sole member of the literature club.

"Why?" Kyon couldn't stop himself from asking. He was sitting up now, staring intently at the reticent girl across from him.

"I don't know," was her only answer.

Kyon scratched at his head. And returned it to its original position on the table, sighing in half-hearted defeat. Some time passed and still the members of the SOS Brigade had not arrived. He thought little of it. Perhaps Haruhi had started up a scheme that he was not to be involved in. The thought didn't bother him in the slightest.

However, the idea that Nagato doesn't even know why she doesn't want to read… that puzzled him. He had an idea about the types of things that Nagato tries to express without expressing them. Like her so called "data malfunctions." Those were her emotions, Kyon reasoned. This must be another sort of "cry for help." A frustration of some sort. An eagerness. Maybe a restlessness that her internal machinations couldn't possibly fathom its use and understanding.

Kyon stood then, not wanting to prolong his inner monologue on the being that is Nagato Yuki and sought to do something about it.

"Come on, Nagato. You want to do something else, don't you?"

"…" She stood, wordlessly, and followed Kyon out the door. Ever willing to obey him.

….

The pair left school grounds. Walking side by side, Kyon looked to his silent partner, briefly wondering if he could perhaps deduce the sudden and unusual change in her behavior. Not reading? Ridiculous. Not wanting to read? Unfathomable.

But who was he to try and understand her? There must be some parts that even he couldn't grasp. Actually, scratch that. There were most parts, parts of everything and anything around him that he couldn't grasp. This was no different.

"Is you… not wanting to read considered strange?"

"…Perhaps. It continues to be an interest of mine. One I want to continue engaging in, indefinitely. However, the urge hasn't struck me. It could be something that you'd consider odd." She saw his curious expression and saw it as a sign to keep explaining to calm his nerves. "It is nothing to be alarmed about. My Data Integration Human Interface is functioning-"

"Ah, there's no need to explain. I was just worried about you." Kyon chuckled.

Her head lowered, "I see." She looked back at Kyon as they continued their trek and uttered the usual phrase she kicked out whenever Kyon seemed even slightly flustered, "don't worry."

"Easier said than done," Kyon said absentmindedly while stifling a yawn. "So, Nagato, where do you want to go? Hungry?"

"What is "easier said?" Nagato asked, looking again at Kyon. They stopped walking.

"Hmm? Well… how shall I put this… it's easier for me to say I won't worry than to actually not worry about you."

"…"

"It's a figure of speech."

She looked up at him again.

"Er-! Uh, like… a phrase you say just to mean something, but not literally mean it? But it holds its own meaning…I guess," Kyon sighed. He wasn't the best explainer. Usually it was Nagato doing the explaining in these situations. Actually, now that he thought about it, shouldn't Nagato already know the definition? She does read a lot, after all. Perhaps these vague human eccentricities are still difficult to grasp.

"I understand. Why do you… worry about me?" Nagato was asking again. If her eyes could convey emotions accurately, Kyon could swear she looked hell-bent on receiving answers to hard questions.

Kyon laughed, a little embarrassed and unsure how to word his response. He settled with honesty. "Well, because I care about you and your well-being."

"…Why?"

"Jeez, Nagato… you're really packing the punches today…" He said as she stared, awaiting an answer as Kyon rubbed his cheek in thought. "Because… it would bother me greatly if something bad were to happen to you."

"I see…" She was silent a moment before continuing, "…then it is safe to say that I care about you, too." Nagato looked away and continued walking.

Kyon laughed and ran to catch up to her, rubbing slightly harder at his darkening cheeks.

In a small way, he understood. In her pursuit for answers, she was finding more ways to communicate… or so he reasoned. She was learning and changing. Or even, maybe it was always this way. Nagato wasn't devoid of expressing herself in some manner. Kyon briefly recalled his advent in closed space with Haruhi that one nightmarish day. It was Nagato's own thoughts transferred to him on the computer screen. What had they said?

 _'I also individually_

 _feel that I want you to return'_

...Though in the end, it just pleased him to see Nagato speak apart from her usual drone.

Somehow, the pair ended up at the SOS Brigade's usual hangout spot. The café was becoming a staple for the unruly team or perhaps it already was. Nagato ordered her signature melon cream soda and Kyon ordered an iced tea.

The pair sat in silence a moment as Kyon looked at the soda in question.

"Nagato."

She looked up, straw held loosely in her mouth.

Kyon pointed at the green, fizzy mixture. "I've always wondered… you always order that drink. Why do you like it? Were you made to like it? Or do you…" Kyon paused, unsure if he should continue, "have preset likes and dislikes…?"

Nagato peered down at her drink. The condensation slipped over her fingers as she squeezed.

"I like it… it tastes good."

"I see," Kyon scratched the back of his head, suddenly ashamed for asking.

"To answer your other inquiries, no programming was required to form my tastes."

He only slightly understood. "That's interesting…" Kyon decided not to press the matter. For some reason he felt it was rude to ask such things, as if Nagato weren't a person. He knew she was of the Data Overmind Human… whatever, but to him, she was still just Nagato.

"Why do you want to know such information? About me?"

'Here she goes with the questions again…' he thought before answering. "Curiosity, I suppose. But also I just want to know more about you."

"I see. Is it important to know?"

"Hmm, I guess not immediately so… but I think it's important for friends to have a basic understanding about one another." Kyon sipped his tea, growing accustomed to these curious conversations with his alien brigade member. It wasn't unusual for Nagato to ask questions sometimes but this was a different matter entirely. The answers to these questions couldn't be explained with simple definitions. She was asking about objective matters; matters of opinion and human reasoning. It was… odd. Yet strangely comforting. It felt real to him.

"Thank you," Nagato said suddenly.

Kyon stopped leaning on his hand to turn to her in surprise. "Thank you? What for?"

Nagato blinked. "For caring about me."

Kyon smiled. 'So she was back on that…'

"Anytime."

* * *

AN: It's a short chapter, but I have many more in store! I'll be doing my best to update this one and not abandon it... I still have some more source material to chug through since I want to keep my information as accurate as possible.

The inspiration for this story came from a theory made based off of the recent spin-off anime: _The Disappearance of Nagato Yuki-chan_. If you haven't seen/read it, I recommend it! It's a very cute show with a little twist. Those interested in the theory that are familiar with the series, hit me up so I can break your heart with it, haha.

Please review, please enjoy!


	2. Chapter 2

_"In the months since I met her, we've done a lot together. That's true of Haruhi, Asahina, and Koizumi too, but nearly all of the incidents involved Nagato somehow, and you could say that she makes my internal pendulum swing the farthest. Haruhi will always get by on her own power. Asahina is fine the way she is, and who cares what happens to Koizumi? But Nagato-"_

* * *

The two continued drinking in comfortable silence.

After a moment, Kyon realized that he didn't often go out with his fellow schoolmate. Usually, the outings would be accompanied by the rest of the SOS Brigade or only occurring because some time-altering fiasco needed attention. At the time, Kyon found that he never just went out with Nagato like this, casually, at ease. It was almost like a date, he mused.

"Nagato, have you ever been on a date before?" Kyon asked, curiosity piquing once more. He found he knew little about her history besides what he's learned about her while being in the SOS Brigade. They've spoken on the oft occasion but nothing more than the few words (or rambling streams of information) required to get the point across.

"No," she said simply.

"Was Nakagawa the closest thing you've had to… uh, a suitor?" Kyon was unable to stop the flow of questions. He found he wanted to know more and more. There had to be something deeper to Nagato. He has scratched the surface before but never pushed his luck further. Only now did he find that Nagato would answer all of his questions. If he was hurting her somehow, it was unknown to him. Besides, she betrayed no more reaction than usual.

Nagato was silent. 'Contemplative' if Kyon had to choose a word to describe it.

After a moment, "…yes," came the soft-spoken reply. It was hesitant, distant, far-off, even wistful.

Kyon could attach any sort of description to the way Nagato spoke to him. Anyone else would see a stoic robot with blank eyes. But Kyon felt he could understand her when he tried to. It wasn't emptiness inside her dark eyes. No, he thought, there was always more. But it was hidden, as if a Nagato sans her alien characteristics was alive and inside her, ready to burst out at any moment, but instead only peeked out, leaked out in subtle glances, turns of her head, hesitant nods. If anything, she was practically yelling to him how she felt. Words weren't required. Her demeanor was everything. And though it was hard to catch, he saw it was there, though practically invisible.

Or, at least, this is what he felt he saw.

"I'm sorry for… bringing this up, Nagato," he apologized, feeling that he should.

Nagato merely shook her head at him, a barely noticeable gesture. "Don't worry."

Kyon looked away, slightly ashamed, and gulped down his tea. Was he poking a nerve? Was he pouring salt on a wound that could not be tended to? Who could know? Is it possible for someone like Nagato to understand what it means to be lonely? Was it possible for someone like Nagato to feel upset at concepts she could barely bring herself to be involved in?

Kyon shook his head as he thought to himself, feeling more upset as the questions rolled around in his mind. 'She's still a person god dammit,' he scolded himself. He knows that Nagato feels. He's seen it himself, that she's capable of disappointment. He saw how it affected her when Nakagawa turned out to be a dead-end. Of course Nagato would want to be loved!

Then again, how much did Nagato truly understand of the situation she was in? She gave no reaction but did it mean that she felt none? What was actually happening in her head as certain events transpired in front of her? Was it true indifference? No, she's affected, Kyon is sure of this.

Kyon was still fuming at himself when he felt a tug at his sleeve. His eyebrows immediately un-knit themselves as he looked to his silent companion, wide-eyed when he realized where his thoughts had headed.

"…" Nagato looked at Kyon with a blank stare. He stared back, and for a moment the pair silently looked into each other's eyes. Hers a pool of dark liquid gold. His mind felt lost for a second, thoughts wiped away in an instant. What was he thinking about?

"A-Ah, I'm fine, Nagato. Sorry, was just… remembering something." He scratched his head, and smiled crookedly.

"I see," she said as she released his sleeve.

Kyon glanced down to where she had been holding him and a memory came rushing back. It was a time in his life that he felt fated to forget, like a dream he had already woken up from. It was vague but it had been real. In a nanosecond, these memories blinked forward from the back of his consciousness. The memories of his time in the alternate reality.

He could picture her, the alternate Nagato. She wore glasses and read books. She was quiet, but instead of the stoic confidence of the alien Nagato, she was timid and shy. She blushed when looked at, she had desires, she had dreams and felt fear… she felt emotions towards those around her and could express them as easily as a tug on a sleeve.

Without warning, Kyon's eyes began to feel heavy, weighed with sorrow. He hadn't planned to think about these past memories. In fact, he thought that he was long over the nightmare of the past, doing his best to forget the event for the sake of all involved. It was just another happening, another out of this world occurrence, the same as any that he experienced with the likes of Haruhi.

However, Kyon recalled, that event… wasn't the work of Haruhi.

He looked up again and saw that Nagato was still peering at him, awaiting some sort of explanation.

He couldn't possibly explain himself. Past the conversation on the roof of the hospital that night, the pair had never brought up this particular subject. Nagato had trusted his choice, hadn't she? It was his choice to turn the world back to normal.

Kyon felt his thoughts drifting again.

'Nagato made that world for a reason,' was the singular phrase that now haunted him.

His head fell into his palm, feeling a headache coming on. He couldn't stop the immense guilt that flooded his senses. But why? Why do I feel this way, he wondered.

'She made that world for a reason,' the thought came again.

That's right, Kyon recalled with sudden clarity…

Nagato was suffering. Haruhi made her an unfeeling robot. Someone bound by her duty and restricted in every sense of the word. She wasn't like alternate universe Nagato but she could have been. She could have been the blushing girl who turned away from his gaze but who was strong enough to ask him to stay.

Kyon's head dipped further down until only the top of his hair was visible to his stoic counterpart.

'God dammit!' he swore, mentally condemning his actions. He had reasoned fervently with himself. His decision was solid, it was correct. Even now, he knew this. But at what cost had he made the decision to return the world to normal?

Alternate Nagato… he can still picture her. It was obvious at the time, though he paid no mind, that she had feelings for him. Romantically or otherwise, he wasn't sure, but her actions back then spoke volumes.

That was Nagato, the way Nagato pictured herself. She changed the world for that Nagato. She changed the world for _him_. 'And I changed it back…'

Everything she wanted was in that world and he stole it from her. Though she couldn't express it simply in words, she expressed it to such an extreme that he would have to be blind not to see how much it pained her to keep going. And nothing had changed since then. Since turning back the world, the days of the SOS Brigade had continued on as normal. How had Nagato fared since then? Were the lonely feelings still swimming inside her? The idea of what was and could have been?

Kyon looked up. His eyes were wet with tears. The sudden influx of emotion was more than he could handle. The guilt, the regret, the shame. What had he taken from her to suit himself? What did Nagato feel at this moment? Could she ever forgive him?

Nagato was taken aback at his appearance, flinching ever so slightly. A second ago he was calmly sipping tea, and now he was filled with distress. Nagato had never seen Kyon shift so dramatically.

Her head tilted as if you ask: 'Are you well?'

Kyon wiped at his un-fallen tears and forced a smile. "Sorry about this, Nagato. I'm not sure what came over me."

"Can I…" she began, "ask you more questions?"

He merely nodded in response, still trying to quell the sudden outburst of feelings that had washed over him without warning. Kyon was feeling weak and unsure of himself. His choices in life suddenly seemed… wrong. He fought the memories and pushed them aside.

"What were you thinking about?"

Kyon sat up in his seat, his eyes now dried. Stone-faced, he wondered if he should spill the beans or lie. However, he knew he was never one to lie to Nagato. It was too easy to talk to her, he found. He could say anything with little to no consequences. Her lack of retort was proof enough.

And how could he lie to her about how he was feeling at this moment? He wanted to know the truth, didn't he? He had wanted to know more about his stoic friend and now was his chance, served up to him on a silver platter.

"Nagato… I'm not sure how to say this… but I was thinking about that time. That time when you changed the universe."

Nagato regarded him impassively but Kyon swore he saw the slightest twitch of a muscle. She knew exactly what time he meant.

"What about that time?" She continued.

"… About… about if I made the right decision." Kyon turned his head away from her, not wanting to see those golden eyes looking at him so intensely.

"I see…" was all she responded with.

After a moment of silence, Kyon turned back again, picked up Nagato's free hand, and held it in his grasp. His mouth fell open and before he could consider his next words, they were already spilling out of him.

"I'm sorry, Nagato. I'm sorry I didn't consider your feelings back then. I made a selfish choice, but one you gave me, and I chose to turn the world back. I keep thinking about why you did what you did and I always brushed it aside… but I just realized that what I did didn't think of your feelings at all… and I'm sorry."

"…" Nagato stared at him, taking in his words. They affected her, he could tell, but he could never say enough to explain how he felt just then. What he understood that he took away from her.

"You changed everything… for a normal life… I knew that was you, Nagato. You might call them 'data malfunctions' or whatever, but you felt something, you were tired, and pained… you were suffering, weren't you?" Kyon turned away again, placing Nagato's hand back on the table. His face was burning and he couldn't believe he was saying this now of all times.

"…I…" Nagato began and Kyon looked at her, sadness brimming along the edge of his eyes. She saw this and her words faltered.

"I…" she repeated herself. Kyon had never seen her at such a loss for words. Usually her sentences came so easily, as if they were pre-planned.

"…I don't want you to worry about me."

Kyon's eyebrows scrunched in frustration and he resisted the urge to sigh. Usually Nagato held all the answers, she usually held herself together so perfectly but now she was crumbling, and he would do anything to see her express herself as such. He knew she wasn't just some robot or some alien without feelings or thoughts… she WAS alternate Nagato. Underneath it all.

"Nagato… you can't tell me not to worry. I'm going to worry no matter what. I'm going to think about you and about what bothers you constantly. I care about you and I- don't want you to suffer. Even if it is for the Data Overmind, you don't need to stand by and remain silent if you are in pain. Tell me, Nagato. I'll listen."

It all came rushing out in an emotional outburst and Kyon hoped that she understood what exactly he was trying to tell her. He poured his heart out and though it was embarrassing, he knew Nagato handled everything he had to say with a tenderness and understanding. At least to a certain extent.

She mulled over his words for a bit, taking in the new information as she often did. This was a first for her, she knew. And as usual, she couldn't find it within herself to express herself in any gesture more grand than a few softly spoken words.

"I will," was all she said.

Kyon sighed, he expected a simple answer but for the first time it bothered him that she could only say so much. Here he was, baring his soul, and that was all she could say? Though he didn't blame her, he wished she could say more in response, especially in regards to his choice of changing the world back.

He looked up and gave her a smile instead, the kind of sad accepting smile one can give when they know things are as far as they can get. Nagato wasn't capable of saying more, he had to accept this.

Besides, this was the Nagato he both knew and-

Suddenly she stood, and looking down at Kyon, spoke calmly, "follow me."

Without question, Kyon followed her out of the café and down the street.

….

They were entering familiar territory he realized when he spotted the library a little ways down. It reminded him of the time he and Nagato were paired up to look for mysteries around town.

The silent pair walked quietly as Nagato moved to stand in front of the library's front doors. It was closed.

"Maybe we can go next time instead?" Kyon asked.

Nagato only stared at the doors.

"Nagato?" He questioned when she made no move to respond.

At his voice, she turned to him and then reached into her bag. In an instant, she produced what seemed to be a small rectangle.

"Is that your library card?" He asked.

She nodded, placing the card in his grip without dropping her hand.

"You helped me to get this card. Do you remember?"

"Hmmm... yes, it was one of the first times where we went out with the SOS Brigade. Seems like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?" Kyon mused.

Nagato nodded. "Thank you for helping me. It meant… a lot to me."

Kyon rubbed the back of his head, "Of course."

"I'd like to come here again, with you. Even if it isn't to get books."

Kyon wasn't too sure what she meant by that but he settled on a smile. He'd accompany her anywhere. And if Nagato wasn't in the mood to read, why need books? He didn't question her.

* * *

AN: Hi everyone! Slightly longer chapter this time. Getting a little further into their current thought-process. I think a lot about what Nagato is as an entity... it's pretty interesting and I bet people could write essays about it. There's just so much that we can't know! And neither does Kyon.

Hope you enjoy, and please continue to review! I like getting some feedback and just knowing that people enjoy (or not) what I'm writing. See you next time!


	3. Chapter 3

_"I could only hope that if Nagato was capable of dreaming, she would be granted sweet dreams on this one night."_

* * *

They walked further on until Kyon recognized another familiar landscape. It was the bench where he had experienced multiple harrowing conversations with time-travelers and aliens. It held a certain fondness to him now, almost nostalgic in a way.

He made to sit and Nagato followed suit.

"Do you remember when you called me out here using a bookmark?" Kyon asked, feeling sentimental.

"Yes, I remember," his companion said. Unexpectedly, she continued, "I remember all of our interactions within the club. They're… unforgettable."

"The club? You mean the SOS Brigade?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm, I find it hard to believe you enjoy those events… especially after…" Kyon paused, again floating into uncharted areas of conversation. He hadn't discussed with her the consequences of the time loop that happened over the Summer. How she must have felt during those long lonely years. Kyon felt saddened again. He wasn't there for her either.

"Earlier… you mentioned about whether I suffered in this world. It is my job to observe and it is the job I carry out. Whether I suffer or not cannot be addressed," Nagato said.

Kyon frowned. "But it changed you, I can tell. You felt something enough to want to change everything."

"That was a data-"

"No!" Kyon stood up, fists clenched. The frustration of Nagato's indifference in her own well-being reaching an all-time high.

"You _felt_ something. The pain of continuing on with Haruhi's nonsense was too much to bare!"

"How do you know?" The question was simple but it hit Kyon straight in the gut. How could he know? After all, wasn't all this just his speculation? He slowly sat down again, once more ashamed at his actions. Nagato gave no reaction and continued to sit silently.

"I don't know… I'm sorry, Nagato. I'm just assuming things. If I were you… god, I don't know what I'd do in your position."

"You wouldn't want to change the world." She said it as a statement, referencing his choice to escape the alternate world.

"No… I suppose I wouldn't."

"I understand."

Kyon looked at her. She was sitting as she always did, hands lightly laid across her lap. She appeared typical, normal. But Kyon could sense the slump in her shoulders, the regret of her past "malfunction" filling her body with hard lead. This wasn't the same Nagato of three years ago. She was a living and breathing entity wracked with internal struggle. The body winning out with the mind. She performed her duty and yet she defied it. Her mouth said one thing but her actions another. Data Malfunction? Please.

…Though even if there was no such slouch, it didn't halt his next action.

He moved closer to her on the bench, placing a hand on her opposite shoulder and draping a shaking arm across her back. He tugged her closer in a quick motion, her head lolling gently towards his chest. She made no effort to resist, dropping as easily as a doll.

Kyon thought he could comfort her in some way. Since words couldn't reach her, he thought he'd try actions. She had saved him countless times and he had done almost nothing for her in return. Perhaps this small moment of solace would bring her some much-needed peace…though this just sounded like an excuse to him.

He blushed despite the intention of the move and cursed that he couldn't see Nagato's face from his current angle.

"Nagato… "

"Do you think you made the right decision?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper as she spoke.

"I…"

"Any choice made would have been correct."

"… What do you mean?"

She looked up at him, her face inches away with eyes looking directly into his own. Kyon tried his damndest to stifle his blush and appear nonchalant, but failed.

"Because it was the choice that you made."

Kyon was sure at that moment that Nagato had no idea the implication of what she just said but the redness increased ten-fold anyway.

"A-Ah, you think so?" He turned away, "why is that important?"

Now it was Nagato's turn to appear bashful, if she was even capable of such a move. She looked away from him for a moment but then looked back up in time to catch his gaze. Her mouth parted as if she wanted to speak but no words came out. After a while, they settled into a silence. Nagato never answering his question.

Before long, the pair stood, noticing the hour growing late. They walked side by side, without speaking, already knowing the route to Nagato's apartment complex by heart.

Stopping near the front doors, Kyon made as if to say his farewells but Nagato beat him to it.

"Will you come up?" She said, almost modestly. Kyon thought he was imagining things.

He nodded without hesitation and followed her up to her sparse apartment room.

There were books on shelves and an empty table in the center. He seated himself quietly as Nagato went to prepare tea.

He thought about how many times he had actually come up here, usually for the purpose of sorting out some sort of chaos. This time however, they were sharing tea as… just two normal friends. He couldn't even recall going to anyone else's home as often as he had with Nagato. They had a strange and comfortable relationship.

Nagato returned to the main room and placed a steaming cup in front of him.

"Thank you," he said as he took a sip.

Nagato nodded at him but didn't sit. She walked over to her bookshelf and produced a well-worn copy. She placed it on the table and seated herself.

Kyon read the cover upside-down. It wasn't a title he was familiar with. "Is that something you've read?"

She nodded, "yes, it is one of my favorites."

Kyon took a few more quiet sips of tea, savoring the calm of its flavor. It was very Nagato-like, he thought. "What's it about?"

"It's about a… robot… that develops romantic feelings towards another human," Nagato spoke no different than she always did, only this time she drank her tea quickly after, covering her face.

"It sounds interesting."

"Please read it."

"What do you like about it?"

"…Unique."

Kyon only smiled in response. Nagato had lent him books before and he assumed this time was no different. Perhaps there was another message hidden away inside? He grabbed the book and placed it inside his bag as the pair continued to sit quietly and at peace.

He felt calmed at the moment. The events of this afternoon were becoming a blur. He had a few outbursts, he realized, and even said some things he never thought he would. He wondered if his feelings came across to his alien companion. Though he felt they did, in a sense. His guilt had slightly ebbed. With Nagato's earlier comments, she had essentially told him that his choice was not the wrong one. She wasn't unhappy with it then, he had hoped.

Kyon recalled a little bit more about what he said earlier and his blush returned. He told her he cared about her and would be constantly thinking about her. It was enough to make anyone embarrassed and he had said it to Nagato, of all people.

However… that didn't make the statements untrue. His eyes momentarily shut and he contemplated taking a nap, the hectic morning now wearing on him that late afternoon.

A thought occurred to him, a memory of another time he had fallen asleep in the clubroom. Upon waking, there was a cardigan draped along his shoulders and he never figured out whose it was.

"Nagato, do you remember… when I went to get the heater before winter break? When I came back, I fell asleep and woke up with someone's cardigan over me."

"…"

"Was that cardigan yours?"

Nagato answered immediately. "Yes," she said.

"Oh, mystery solved then." Kyon laughed nervously, wondering why he had brought up such an unimportant memory. He kind of already knew the answer but the fact that Nagato openly admitted to it surprised him. The fact that she even engaged in such an action surprised him even more.

"Well, thank you for that… actually, while I'm at it… thank you for all the times you saved my life too," he tacked on at the end with a lopsided grin. He knew he owed her greatly.

"Anytime," she said. The repeated sentiment that he had said earlier that day. Kyon smiled at her.

"Really, I don't know where I'd be without you."

She took that moment to drink from her tea. The subject was as good as dropped then. But Kyon was feeling reminiscent. He began to recount their other wild adventures together, like the time they defeated the cave cricket, or played that game against the Computer club, or even the not-so-happy memory of Ryouko's attempt on his life.

Kyon laughed away the traumatizing events and praised Nagato's actions, remembering in detail the result of her protecting his life. She had been unable to move and held up in his arms. He had said she looked better without glasses and to this day she had not created a new pair. Kyon paused at that thought but moved the topic onwards with a shake of his head.

"And remember that secluded island we went to with the fake murder? What a trip that was… if only I could forget. That Koizumi…" he mumbled to himself.

"I remember…" Nagato piped up, moving Kyon out of his reverie.

"Hmm?" He urged.

"I remember the game we played, with the king."

"Ahh, Haruhi was always such a capricious king, wasn't she? Jeez, what did she have you do again? Turn around and say—"

"I love you," Nagato finished.

Caught off guard, and hearing the words spoken directly at him and so seriously, Kyon reeled back in surprise.

"Er, yes, that's what it was! Heh… Nagato, you almost gave me a heart-attack there," he laughed, "though it certainly doesn't bother me to hear you say that."

She merely blinked at him, unfazed. "Suzumiya-san's words are the closest I will get to my own expression."

"…"

"…"

"Eh, just a minute, what was that, Nagato?" Kyon was sitting up now, palms flat on the table. He was so lost in his joking atmosphere that what Nagato had just said did not process completely. He was sure he had misheard her or misinterpreted her words in some way.

Nagato blinked again and resumed sipping her tea. Kyon didn't think he would be getting any more answers out of her. He settled on a sigh instead and the pair slipped back into comfortable silence.

It was getting later into the evening and Kyon decided he couldn't burden Nagato any longer with his presence. He felt slightly hungry too, and made motions to leave. He stood up, and Nagato followed him to the door. He recounted the events of the afternoon once more and felt weirdly content with the outcome, feeling closer to Nagato than he ever had before. He had said some pretty difficult things and she had responded in kind, with more than her own fair share of questions and answers.

This conversation isn't over, he decided, hoping to prolong their discussions on some other day in the future.

To be sure, however, he wanted to hammer in a few points.

"Nagato," he turned to her, placing a hand on either of her shoulders. She looked up to him, eyes like bright glass. "I want you to remember what I said today- about how you can tell me anything that's bothering you. Also about… how I… care about you." He turned away then, dropping his hands to his sides. He recalled with clarity his thought process of before, when he realized in great detail how he had possibly taken away her one chance of a happier world. He shook his head.

"Don't forget that," he repeated as he turned to the door.

He felt a tug at his sleeve (or perhaps he imagined it), the familiar sensation toiling in his memory. He looked back at Nagato, appearing so small next to him. The vision of the past rushing forward again and before him stood the alternate Nagato, blushing and shy, urging him to stay a little longer without words.

However, this Nagato spoke. "Thank you," was all she said. And Kyon understood. He bent down and embraced her in a hug, wrapping his arms tightly around. It didn't feel like enough. After a moment, Kyon felt the light pressure of Nagato's hand against his back. Smiling, he released her and stepped out through the door.

* * *

AN: I feel like I write Kyon like such a sucker. It's difficult to portray his cynical attitude without internal monologue...

Anywho, getting deeper into their interactions. A little mystery here and there. What did Nagato mean by what she said anyway? Only time will tell!

Also, I see y'all following this story but please review! It really motivates me to keep going if I know what you guys think! Thanks for reading and see you soon :9


	4. Chapter 4

_"Does it hurt? Relish the taste, because it's going to be the last sensation you feel in this life."_

* * *

On his way home, Kyon mused once more over the events of the day. It had gone quickly and without incident and yet more had happened in those silent hours of the day than he could ever imagine.

He sighed rather wistfully, shoving his hands into his pockets. He was surprised to feel there was something within and pulled it out to reveal Nagato's library card. He must have forgotten to give it back to her after she placed it in his hand.

Kyon passed the card between his fingers for a moment, mulling over its significance. This wasn't the first time that Nagato had mentioned their single trip to the library. It had been almost innocuous to him at the time. Just a quick gesture to get her desired books checked out and back to the brigade's meeting spot in a timely manner.

He continued to examine it, suddenly questioning why Nagato would bring up the library incident in the first place. She thanked him earlier that day for helping her, a sincerity in her voice that was seldom spoke to any other. He felt prideful, glad he could bring out such a reaction in his friend.

A memory was triggered then as he thought about Nagato's actions today and he remembered once more- the alternate Nagato. She too had mentioned the trip to the library. Though her own version was slightly manipulated to fit in the existing world, the basic idea remained the same. Why did Nagato keep that memory in tact, he wondered. What was its significance to her?

Kyon puzzled over it but his thoughts were silenced by the evening chill. Shrugging his shoulders, he carried on towards his home, silently reminding himself to return her card in the morning.

Once we was safely in his room, he dug around in his bag, producing the copy of the book that Nagato had given to him. Without thinking, he skimmed the pages, wondering if her trademark bookmark would fall out. Lo and behold, it did, skittering to the ground at Kyon's toes. He snatched at it hastily, anticipating whether whatever message was written would warrant him to take action. The thought did not bother him, in fact, he felt rather excited.

Holding it gently, he turned the bookmark in his hands, running his fingers over the mechanically written script. There were only three words: "I am here."

Kyon could only guess at what it meant. He flipped the small paper over and back, trying to deduce any other information out of it. There was nothing else written. He skimmed the book a second time to no avail. Silently, he stared at the message. Its delicate script trying to convey something he couldn't possibly grasp. Perhaps there was no extra meaning at all? No, he decided, Nagato wasn't one to do things without purpose.

There was one memory Kyon could recall that involved the exact phrase. The time he traveled to the past and posed as John Smith and catered to young Haruhi's every whim. He had written some alien script at her command. "I am here" was its supposed meaning.

The day was Tanabata, the day in which everything began. Three years ago, when Haruhi wrote her message. Three years ago, when the likes of Koizumi, Nagato, and Asahina came into being.

What could he gather from this information? Was there any significance to the phrase and the day in which it was written? Tanabata… he thought more about it. People made wishes for the festival, hung their desires on a bamboo tree. To what end? So that the gods Orihime and Hikoboshi could answer them.

He paused, wracking his brain for any other sort of info on the prized holiday, cursing his past filtering of Haruhi's rambling. What else did she mention to him about Tanabata?

All at once, the answer came to him. Orihime and Hikoboshi… were lovers separated by the milky way… they could only meet during Tanabata… Haruhi wrote that message so that the gods would hear her…

Kyon breathed out, not any closer to understanding the significance of the message and what it could express. He contemplated putting it to rest when another thought occurred to him. Express. What had Nagato said earlier that had slipped past his radar?

' _Suzumiya-san's words are the closest I will get to my own expression.'_

Now what on Earth did that mean? Was Nagato saying that her own thoughts mimic those of Haruhi? And what words was she referring to? What is she trying to express? Is she speaking through Haruhi?

'No,' Kyon clutched at his head, mulling over the evening's conversation, throwing out idea after idea, hoping one would catch onto another. The pieces were there, he knew, but he had no clue on how to put it together or if he even should.

Giving up for the evening, Kyon threw back his covers and attempted to sleep.

The morning came swiftly and cold. Groaning, Kyon pulled himself out of bed. Scratching at his chin, he found the pale bookmark still clutched in his grip. He dangled it in front of his face, willing it to reveal its secrets.

He shook his head and got dressed for school, tossing the bookmark to the side and walking out of the room. A second later he returned, picked up the small piece of paper, and held it gently.

School went by without incident. Haruhi rambling about some acquisitions she attempted to pull off with the help of Koizumi and Mikuru the previous afternoon. Kyon tuned her out, his only thought on the pale-headed girl currently sitting in a separate classroom. His mind continuously drifted to her, the mystery of yesterday finally catching up with him.

"So, Kyon! Listen up! I _allowing_ you and Yuki to watch the clubroom for a few hours today too and wait for us to return. You got that? If you're not there, a penalty!" Haruhi pinched at his back.

"Yeah, yeah," he responded half-heartedly, waving her away.

Haruhi huffed at his dismissal and sat back with her arms crossed.

…

After his school day was over, Kyon dragged his way over to the clubroom, feeling heavier than usual. Though yesterday was revelatory and relaxing at the same time, Kyon couldn't help a small bit of guilt from weighing on his shoulders. Facing Nagato today would be slightly more difficult. And there was still the bookmark to be dealt with. Ought he to just ask her?

Nodding to himself, he knocked out of habit and pushed the door open. Inside, Nagato was standing at the bookshelf, staring with an odd fascination at the various spines. She turned minutely when Kyon entered but made no other indication that she noticed him.

"Ah, Nagato… so you heard we are to wait for Haruhi and the rest, huh? What a pain," Kyon mumbled before sitting down.

"…"

"Hmmm, still not reading today?" He crossed his arms behind his head, noticing the stiffness in his fellow brigade member.

"Yes," she said quietly, returning to her seat and facing the window. He watched her for a second, momentarily forgetting where he was.

Kyon felt awkward, a blush creeping up his neck when he remembered yesterday's events for the fifth time that day. The hugs, the embarrassing speeches he made. He briefly wondered how Nagato felt about the whole thing but no way would he actually consider asking.

"Uhm… Nagato?"

She turned to face him, eyes glued to his. He turned away from her stare, rubbing at his neck.

"Did you read the book?" She asked before he could speak.

"A-Ah… about that…" Kyon cleared his throat, "can I ask you what your message meant? I'm sorry, I couldn't figure it out on my own this time." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bookmark. There also, he found Nagato's library card. "Oh! And this too, I forgot to give it back."

Kyon stood and walked over to Nagato's seat by the window. Holding his arm out, he grabbed his companion's hand and held it open, palm up. He placed the small squares of paper in her grasp and curled her fingers around them.

Nagato stared at her hand and then back at Kyon. Her silence a curious one; her gaze as serene as a still pond. Dropping her head, she returned her fist to her lap.

'Is that disappointment I see on her face?' Kyon wondered. Tilting his head, Kyon looked at her lowered shoulders and empty expression. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed even the slightest difference from now and two minutes ago. But to Kyon, the difference was night and day.

He kneeled, attempting to get on eye-level with the stoic alien. He felt like he let her down in some way. Though he knew she could never express it.

'Express it…' The phrase passed through Kyon's mind, remembering the words of yesterday.

' _Suzumiya-san's words are the closest I will get to my own expression.'_

'What words is she referring to? Any of them?' Kyon doubted Nagato would mean to say any of the ridiculous nonsense that passed through Haruhi's mouth on a daily basis.

'I am here,' Kyon thought, 'is that it?' From his position on the floor, he reached out and placed his palm over Nagato's closed one.

"Nagato… what are you trying to tell me?" He implored.

Before she could answer, the door burst open to reveal Koizumi holding a large cardboard box. Balancing it on one knee, he surveyed the scene before him and smiled. "Oh my, am I interrupting something?"

Kyon scowled and stood back up, glaring at the smarmy esper across from him. His infuriating smile not once wavering. "Imagine had it not been me who walked in… someone else might get the wrong idea," Koizumi chuckled.

"Please spare me," Kyon muttered, returning to his seat at the table. "Where is everyone?"

"I've been tasked to go on ahead by Suzumiya-san as she prepares the rest." Koizumi began to dig around in the large box and one by one he pulled out board game after board game.

"Do we honestly need more of those? Don't we already have enough?" Kyon asked, poking at the worn cardboard.

"Suzumiya-san was insistent on these. She's been dragging Asahina-san and I to various thrift shops in order to find them," Koizumi answered simply.

Kyon raised an eyebrow, "well, can't say I'm disappointed to not have been there."

Koizumi smiled, "believe me, your presence was more suited elsewhere. In fact, I insisted on it. By the way, how did yesterday go?"

"Yesterday?" Kyon asked. The only thing that came to mind was his long afternoon with Nagato. How did _he_ know about it? Kyon's scowl returned. "What about it?"

Koizumi sauntered up to Kyon's chair. He leaned forward slightly, lowering his head closer to his exposed ear. "Did your 'chat' with Nagato-san go well?" The esper straightened up, his grin stretched wide in a teasing manner.

Kyon looked away, annoyed. What did he know about it and why did he care? Kyon glanced at Nagato through the side of his eye. She was still staring out the window, as if her two other schoolmates didn't exist. Kyon sighed.

"Like you, I noticed some fundamental changes in her behavior," Koizumi commented in a normal voice. Kyon fought the urge to tell him to keep it down considering Nagato's presence. Koizumi paid no mind and continued. "I convinced Suzumiya-san to allow you two a moment's privacy."

"How thoughtful of you," Kyon said, not meaning it in the slightest. 'So that's what Haruhi meant about allowing us…' He couldn't trust Koizumi no matter what he said since everything he did had a weird motive surrounding it. "What did you tell Haruhi? And what does this matter to you anyway?"

Koizumi's smile grew patronizing as he sat across from the grimacing brigade member. "I find the changes in all the brigade member's personalities to be especially important. Don't you? And relax, I kept the details vague and serious enough. Haruhi figured it had more to do with Nagato-san's living conditions."

Kyon briefly recalled his previous conversations with Koizumi on the matter. He had mentioned before how Haruhi's otherworldly adventures had seemed to wane while Nagato's alien persona had slowly begun to fade. The two of them were on their way towards practical normalcy.

'Or about as normal as a god and alien could get,' Kyon thought, ignoring Koizumi to the best of his ability. He caught a few sentences here and there: "Honestly, how more ordinary could board games as an activity be?" as well as, "I'm surprised she agreed in the first place…" followed by, "I've been giving it some thought lately…"

Kyon peered up at him.

Koizumi continued, "and I find that what we wish for must either be achieved through our efforts or that we must learn to accept its absence accordingly."

"What are you babbling about?" Kyon had only somewhat heard him, only catching the latter half of his speech.

The smiling brigade member leaned forward on both hands, folded in front of him. "Don't you think that applies to certain individuals?"

Kyon glanced at Nagato reflexively. How did that phrase apply here? Unwillingly, a vision of alternate Nagato popped in his mind. 'Something that we wish for…' He saw her again that fateful night when she changed the universe with the flick of her hand. 'Achieved through our efforts…' Kyon attempted to dismiss his thoughts, not liking when Koizumi implied strange things without ever being straight-forward about what he meant. 'Accept its absence?' Is that what she had to do now?

Kyon's frown returned when he tried applying Haruhi to the same idea. Was she beginning to accept the absence of the supernatural? Somehow the thought didn't sit right with him. He was missing some important detail here.

"I know what you're thinking… and is there someone you're forgetting?" Koizumi asked with a mysterious grin.

'Asahina-san? You… or me?' Kyon pondered the idea, 'What do I wish for?'

He was spared any more thinking when the recent occupier of his thoughts burst through the door, dragging along a reluctant Mikuru.

* * *

AN: Hey everyone! School is pretty tough this semester but I haven't forgotten about this story! I am determined to finish it eventually. It's especially interesting looking back at this because I am currently learning how to properly write a character arc story. It's a lot more complicated than I imagined. I hope I can apply my lessons here.

Sorry if it seems like nothing happened this chapter, I promise there is much more to come. For now... more questions and less answers...

And thank you for reviewing!


	5. Chapter 5

_"Why don't we try this? Embrace Suzumiya-san from behind... and whisper "I love you," into her ear."_

* * *

"Ya-ho!" came an agonizingly chipper voice. Hands raised in the air, one Suzumiya Haruhi sauntered through the club room without a single care, while standing next to her, in stark contrast, Mikuru, whose very persona oozed 'worry.'

"Kyon!" She shrieked, narrowing her eyes at the student in question and then travelling her gaze to the girl sitting by the window. She seemed to contemplate something for a moment, mouth down-turned, but then perked up in that instant way she does. Kyon barely had a second to respond before she was in his face.

"So, Koizumi-kun, Mikuru-chan, and I have been hard at work to gather the materials necessary for our next Brigade level event!" She walked around the clubroom in an all-important manner, ticking off preparations on her fingers as she went. Kyon watched her with an uneasy expression.

"Since no festivals or school-wide events are taking place in the next couple of weeks… and since we are also nearing our final year where studying may become the priority… I've decided to throw a tournament!"

Kyon couldn't stop the sigh that escaped his lips when Haruhi said her last few words. From the looks of it though, and based on Koizumi's previous hinting, a tournament might not be as daunting as it sounds. He looked at the board games on the table.

"A tournament for what?"

"No stupid questions allowed, Kyon! What do you think?" She pointed a slender finger at the boxes on the table and then accusingly at him. "A board game tournament! What better way to test ones' wit and luck than with old-fashioned table games?"

Kyon only grimaced, deciding to avert his attention to possibly someone more deserving of it. He looked at Asahina-san in all her glory, still trembling from Haruhi's previous aggressions. He expected for her to look a little worse for wear but instead she appeared rather excited.

Mikuru caught his glance and smiled gently, "I haven't played board games like these since I was a little kid," she explained without prompting. Kyon melted at the vision of a smaller and cuter version of Asahina-san and wondered exactly how many years ago that was from his own time-perspective.

Wanting to prolong their exchange, Kyon asked Mikuru a few more questions, while Haruhi scribbled frantically on the chalkboard trying to figure out the schematics for their friendly competition.

Smiling ever so fondly at the bumbling time-traveler, Kyon lost track of the other two personas in the room and decided to seek them out with a quick twist of his head.

Near the window, on the other side of the room, he spotted Koizumi leaning over Nagato's chair and whispering into her ear. Koizumi's face was as friendly as ever with eyes shut and mouth wide, practically grazing the side of Nagato's porcelain cheek.

"Kyon-kun?" Mikuru asked hesitantly.

"Eh?" Kyon's head swiveled back in confusion, feeling as if he had been momentarily suspended in time. He realized that at one point in that suspension of rational thought, he had stood up from his seat rather hurriedly. His chair also seemed to have caused a ruckus, being kicked back so fiercely, that all eyes of the SOS Brigade were now on him.

Reflexively, his eyes landed on Nagato's, which were as usual, watching him silently. Only this time they were filled with a hard intensity that he was unaccustomed to. Even Koizumi, whose face was hardly ever without a calm exterior, looked surprised before settling into a grim smile.

Bowing his head, Kyon returned to his seat and attempted to resume light conversation with the wide-eyed redhead. He tried his best to keep from turning back to the window seat, afraid of what he might witness next.

Spared of any more thinking, Haruhi flipped around to address the group of whose attention she demanded most ardently. But not before glancing sideways at Mikuru and Kyon's respective positions.

"Everyone! Look here!" Haruhi glanced sideways at Mikuru and Kyon's respective positions as she pushed the board out. It was drawn in typical tournament fashion with brackets stretched across. Two players would verse each other in the first round. The winner of the first round would then face a different player in the second round, while two other players also faced each other. The winners of the second round would then square off in the final.

Haruhi had written the formula a number of times, each person's name randomized to fit the bracket of the game that came after it. Foolishly, Kyon pointed out that Haruhi was always set to go in the second round and never had to compete first.

She rounded on him instantly. "I am the leader of the SOS Brigade! I figured you would know this about tournaments but they never put the strongest player in the beginning! To be fair though, I randomized the orders for the rest of you." She smiled, confident that her explanation was without rebuttal. Crossing her arms and walking away, Haruhi continued.

Rolling his eyes, Kyon tuned her out, glancing once more at the short-haired girl against the window seat. She looked quite dazed without the usual book holding her attention and for a second Kyon felt sorry for her. He wondered if there was anything to be done about her love of reading.

Slamming her hand against the board, Haruhi diverted Kyon's attention back to herself. "Seeing as though we had a late start today, the 'SOS Brigade Official Board Game Tournament' won't begin until tomorrow after school. Come prepared! Dismissed!" She spun the board for effect, gathered her belongings, and flew out the door before anyone could get a single word in.

Standing around like gaping fish, the Brigade members found their senses and slowly began to pack up their things.

Mikuru hadn't even gotten the chance to serve her delicious tea, Kyon thought mournfully. With a polite farewell and subtle bow, Mikuru exited after their leader. Kyon waved after her, moving at a snail's pace.

Feeling a sense of dread, Kyon shifted his head around slowly to be greeted with the sight of Koizumi's boisterous grin. He gestured with a free hand, "do you mind if we speak a bit before you leave?"

Sensing he didn't have a choice, Kyon pulled out his chair a second time and sat. Koizumi stood a second longer, as if waiting for the third party in the room to vacate the premises. Nagato seemed aware of this as she made for the clubroom door.

Koizumi stopped her, "Ah, Nagato-san, thank you for listening." She nodded without turning around and walked through the door. Kyon held a palm up in goodbye but she didn't see it.

Kyon scowled at the exchange, not liking the idea of Koizumi and Nagato working together. After all, weren't their factions largely against one another? Kyon couldn't recall at that moment and didn't care to. He couldn't get the sight of Koizumi whispering into Nagato's ear out of his mind. It was an eerie sight to behold, one far too reminiscent of Koizumi's words of the previous Summer.

Kyon involuntarily shuddered as he watched the esper take a seat across from him.

"What was that all about?" Kyon asked accusingly.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with. I figured I ought to familiarize myself with Nagato-san, seeing as though I might need her assistance in the future. She is an excellent help."

Kyon's frown only deepened. "Okay… so what did you want with me?"

"I merely wanted to finish our discussion earlier. Regarding the other Brigade members."

"What about them?"

"An obvious subject would be Suzumiya-san. Do you find the notion of a board-game tournament at all strange to you?"

"Not particularly. It seems just as pointless as the usual events she plans."

Koizumi leaned forward, fingers clasped, "perhaps… it seems innocuous enough, but the premise implies the need for a winner. There hasn't been much closed-space as of late but I worry there might be some cause for concern."

"Why's that? How is this different from any other competition we have had in the past?"

"That's just it… it lacks any of Suzumiya-san's grandeur, and so I expected a calm outcome. But just now, during the club…" Koizumi leaned back, a stern look replacing his smile, "…I sensed a rift."

Kyon raised his brow, it was a word that Koizumi seldom used to describe the typical antics of the SOS Brigade.

"A rift? So, what is it?"

"It felt like a similar sensation to when closed-space is formed and yet none was actually made. It almost seemed like a sort of "false alarm." I'm not sure what prompted it."

"Why would Haruhi feel that way now? We hadn't even started the games yet."

"...It bothers me. There's the possibility that something else would trigger her frustrations." Koizumi looked up at Kyon, examining him for a moment. His eyes bored into him like a drill.

"Don't look at me like that," Kyon lifted up a hand to block his serious gaze. "What do you think it could be?"

"What indeed…?" Koizumi smiled, continuing to watch his male counterpart squirm uncomfortably under his scrutiny. He changed the subject. "Anyway, I was hoping to get Nagato-san's perspective on the matter. I believe that is when you witnessed us speaking today. I'd like to discuss with her further if that's alright with you."

Kyon scoffed. "Why would you need my permission?" and as an after-thought, he added quietly, "Nagato can talk to whoever she wants…"

Koizumi didn't miss a beat. "Oh? Would you prefer she doesn't?"

"What? No! I'm just saying…" Kyon wriggled around in his seat, hoping to avoid Koizumi's piercing stare.

Instead, the esper appeared wistful, somber even. His voice barely above a whisper as he spoke again, "what is it about you that the others are so drawn? It still mystifies me. Then again… I too am drawn towards you," he said as he leaned forward with a smile.

"Go away."

"It's true though, what you say. Nagato-san only seems to respond to you- obeys you even- if you give her a command."

"I'm not commanding her to do anything." Kyon crossed his arms, trying to put some distance between them, feeling more hostile than usual towards the smiling young man.

Koizumi merely continued to grin, unaffected by Kyon's repelled nature towards him, "of course not."

…

Walking with enhanced slowness, Kyon descended the stairs from the clubroom. His conversation with Koizumi left a sour taste in his mouth. If tomorrow's tournament held dire consequences that the esper was unsure about, it didn't spell anything but unnecessary trouble for him.

He strolled the hallways quietly, the tail-end of other club activities coming to an end. For a second he fantasized about joining another, regular sounding club but shook his head of the thought. What had he left behind in that other world in order to have the zany antics of this one?

A vision of glasses flashed before his eyes. Startled, Kyon peered around cautiously at his surroundings.

At the base of the building stood none-other than Nagato. Her hands were clasped to her sides, holding her bag loosely. She appeared as if a statue among many.

Kyon stopped in his tracks, having assumed Nagato left immediately for home after her departure. His feet moved on their own and soon he stood towering over the smallest member of the club.

"Hey, Nagato… I thought you went home."

She shook her head at the obvious.

"Were you waiting for me?"

Her head was still. It wasn't a nod but it wasn't a 'no' either. She looked up at him with big, open eyes. Suddenly, the conversation of earlier came back to him and Kyon was once again bewildered by the inquiries of last night. What did the bookmark mean and what was she trying to tell him? He decided on another topic instead.

"About Koizumi-"

"He sensed an interference today."

"Yeah, I was hoping I could talk with you about-"

"Data breach," Nagato said stiffly as if it explained everything. Kyon wasn't convinced.

"Data…? So this has to do with the Data Overmind?" He was more confused than ever now.

Nagato merely shook her head, "The Data Overmind was not involved."

"Then do you have an idea of what it was?" Kyon knew that Nagato always held some sort of answer. For her to be unsure, and for the Data Overmind to be a bystander as well, Kyon could only assume the worse. It couldn't be Koizumi's Agency and no way was Asahina-san privy to such things, so it could only be some sort of third party. A competing organization of some sort?

"…" Nagato was silent a moment as if she were remembering something. Looking up at Kyon, she continued, "It wasn't the work of Suzumiya-san either." With that, she began to walk ahead and Kyon trailed after.

"What do you mean by that? Koizumi was sure it had something to do with her. And that it was similar to closed-space."

"The information was comparable to Suzumiya-san but not exact. A related entity."

Kyon did not like the sound of that. It almost seemed like Nagato was talking about some sort of _second_ god-like figure. One with twin powers and a twin hold over the world around them. He cringed at the idea and prayed that whatever assumptions that both Koizumi and Nagato made, they were both blown way out of proportion.

"When you say related… do you mean similar abilities? Could this entity, in theory, create closed-space?"

"It's a very real possibility."

"Is this something that Koizumi and his friends could deal with?"

Nagato looked at her walking partner, "I cannot be certain." She paused as her eyes swept briefly over his form, as if searching for something. Turning on her heel, she continued forward, Kyon trailing behind.

"Should I be concerned?" He asked, slightly bewildered.

"Don't worry."

Kyon released a breath. If Nagato could casually make her way down the street without issue, Kyon wasn't about to start a fuss about this supposed "entity." In fact, he couldn't care less as soon as he learned that Nagato was unconcerned. The day Nagato freaked out was a possibility he hoped never to see, for that would mean the end times were truly upon them.

No one said a word as they walked along. And no one thought to point out that Kyon had already walked past the street to his house and was now following a certain bobbed-haired girl as if from instinct. The walk was peaceful and Kyon shuffled forward as naturally as a cat found its way back home. It is to say that only when the two reached their destination did Kyon even realize where he had gone.

'Boy, my mind is elsewhere,' he thought as he looked upon Nagato's massive apartment complex. The resident in question looked up at his mildly amused expression and then back down.

"Well, Nagato, seems that I walked you home by accident. I'll see you tomorrow, eh?"

Staring ahead, Nagato appeared as if to accept the statement. But soon she was opening her mouth, freezing Kyon directly in his tracks. "Shall I make dinner?"

…

Kyon sat placidly in Nagato's main apartment room while the girl in question was bustling quietly in the kitchen. He heard the occasional clinking of kitchenware as he leaned back on his hands. It was truly a sound to behold.

The Nagato of yester-year might never have offered to cook dinner. She might never have shown interest in even showing interest in trivial matters such as sharing a meal with a fellow friend. Kyon couldn't stop the smile from arching over his face. It was like glimpsing a world where Nagato was just another high school girl, not one bounded by duty or responsibility and restricted in her ability to express. He also couldn't help but picture the dinner he shared with a different Nagato and another Asakura. It was a weird memory, but not one without its small joys.

The alternate Nagato; he remembered the small tug against his sleeve again. How much it meant to her for him to stay. The other day with Nagato, he was reassured of his choice in changing the world back to its proper form, and yet such small regrets remained. When he looked down at her blushing face, it was something he knew he might never see again.

So seeing Nagato, in her apartment, with him, and cooking the two a meal to share, he felt a small encouragement. She was changing; was _changed._

Kyon awakened to a soft pressure on his head. He jerked upwards, realizing he had fallen asleep on Nagato's floor during his dazed thoughts about the past.

Nagato was standing next to him, her hand held loosely in the air where it had previously pressed against him. She said nothing as she returned to the other side of the table and seated herself. Kyon stumbled upright and took in the sight of a simple pre-packed meal laid before him. A steaming bowl of rice was next to it.

Grateful, Kyon ate in silence. Serene was the only word that past through Kyon's mind and yet there existed a heaviness as well. There were so many questions still that Kyon did not know the answer to. As with any of the Brigade members, there were a multitude of details that had yet to add up. Sitting here at this very dinner table was proof of this already. He had been here just yesterday for no real reason… and here he was again.

* * *

AN: Hey everyone, I know it's been an incredibly long time. I just finished an extremely tough semester and I am exhausted. Hopefully I can finish this story... I've heard your concerns and I definitely want to try picking up the pace from here.

Please enjoy and review!


	6. Chapter 6

_"My rationality insisted on that. But humans were never a lifeform that relied only on reason to survive, maybe they needed a bit of what Nagato called "mixed-up data."_

* * *

"Nagato."

"Yes?"

"How do you think tomorrow is going to go? With the games and all? Is it going to go simply… Or should I prepare for something troublesome?"

"I cannot say for sure. Synchronization is blocked."

'Ah, I remember now.' She had told him this. After the events over Winter Break with the creation of the alternate universe, Nagato was to be "punished." She could no longer synchronize with her future self. The future was as she made it now. She was open to discover the future as if a normal person. His lip curled at his own thoughts. 'She _is_ a normal person,' he corrected.

Kyon paused in his own meandering, the curiosity of his companion once again getting the best of him. There was still so much to know. Why had he denied himself the opportunity to ask before?

"What's it like? Not knowing the future anymore?"

Nagato peered back at him, an inclination towards thought, as she mulled over the question. The silence stretched on longer than Kyon was used to, which said quite a bit about the question that plagued her now.

Her head turned to the side, having finally reached a conclusion. "Freeing," she said, between small bites of rice.

Kyon nodded and decided not to pry further. Her simple answer alone filled him a sense of pleasure. If anything, the way Nagato said that was as much an indication of how she felt: _glad_. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to be several steps ahead of everyone and knowing the outcome of any and all situations. He imagined it was stifling, regardless of its convenience or use.

Kyon was chewing absentmindedly on his food when he thought back to the events of the day. Koizumi's hideous face sprang into his mind and he frowned. Everything he said was a swirling mystery of implications and weirdness. Weirder still was his odd interaction with the alien across from him, wanting to get her perspective. There seemed like there might be a conflict of interest. He voiced his concerns.

"By the way… what's going on with Koizumi and his organization? Would the Data Overmind really consider working alongside them?"

Nagato paused, her chopsticks coming to a standstill. Kyon didn't know what to make of it besides that she was considering whether to tell him or not. He wasn't even sure just how much information Nagato could reveal or her standing within her… faction or whatever it was. Maybe she wasn't privy to such things? Then again, she sure happened to know just about everything anyway.

"… Cooperation to test a common theory," she said after a minute. Kyon waited but she didn't go into details. He sighed and planned to try beat it out of Koizumi at a later time. He knew the esper couldn't resist spewing hints in his direction.

Kyon decided to push his luck anyway. "Any chance you can tell me what that theory is?"

"Not at the moment," she said instantly. It was a better answer than he was expecting.

'Then guess I'll be finding out in the future…' Kyon thought without worry, knowing that whatever it was, for the time being, was no concern of his.

He dug hungrily back into his food. It was actually tastier than he would've assumed of Nagato's cooking, even if it was pre-made. He looked up at her then and smiled guiltily as if she could sense his thoughts. And she did look up then too, as if she could feel his gaze. A lone grain of rice was stuck to her cheek.

The unusual and contrary sight brought a chuckle to Kyon's chest and he immediately attempted to stifle it, bringing a hand up to his mouth. It was useless. Nagato's empty and serious stare coupled with such an endearing and childish trait was a contrast he never had the opportunity to witness. He laughed out loud, leaning forward as he did so.

"Hold still," he said and Nagato immediately stiffened. Kyon tried not to notice as he outstretched a hand across the table and gently wiped the offending grain from the side of her face.

Her stillness briefly unnerved him, recalling Koizumi's words of the morning regarding Nagato's penchant for obeying him—and only him. He didn't see himself as someone worth listening to, let alone following. He wanted Nagato to always be her own person, without any sort of commander. But it was kind of a lost cause, considering Haruhi and all…

Settling back in his seat, the moment passed, and all traces of humor had left him. He had barely been able to enjoy Nagato's stunned expression. Thinking about Koizumi always left him in a sour mood, especially recently for some reason.

He was frowning at the table when he heard her stoic voice, "thank you," it said.

Kyon's head bobbed up instantly and for a second, and he was sure he imagined it as he had been doing a lot lately, he thought he saw a glimmer of _something_ beyond her pale skin. A touch of pink?

'Maybe even Nagato gets embarrassed sometimes.' The thought sobered him and once more Kyon was overwhelmed with the possibility that Nagato truly was becoming an entirely new being from before. It instilled a weird determination within him and he silently promised to do what he could to keep bringing out that side of her. That very real part of Nagato that was aching to shine through and show her true colors.

He knew it existed and the proof was in the pudding. All he had to do was act on it.

"Nagato."

"Yes?"

"Do you always cook dinner for yourself like this? Do you ever go out to eat?" Kyon leaned back on his hands, contemplating his next course of action.

Nagato answered his question just as easily as she always did. "There is no need for me to go elsewhere."

 _'_ I was afraid of that,' Kyon thought solemnly. She was definitely bound by some sort of… galactic law. And unless Haruhi was directly involved to force Nagato out of her 'comfort zone' in a manner of speaking, Kyon saw little motive for Nagato to do anything more than needed that would necessitate her survival.

Then again… she frequented the library all on her own, drank melon soda because she 'liked it', joined the computer club… changed the universe…

Nagato wasn't bound by much of anything was she? And she almost frequently went beyond the boundaries of necessity and straight into overkill. His assumption of her character as an 'alien' was so ingrained in her image that he was losing sight of the person in front of him.

Kyon shook his head and barreled forward with his next sentence. "Next time, do you want to try eating out?" He dropped the 'with me' on purpose. "There are some pretty decent places near the school that you might enjoy."

Nagato tilted her head, hands holding loosely to her pair of chopsticks. She seemed to be contemplating it, but what she thought of the idea was entirely unknown to him. For whatever reason, that lengthy pause made Kyon's neck warm suddenly and he rubbed at it in haste. 'Why the heck am I getting all embarrassed for?'

"Next time?" she asked and the question made him jump, not expecting it in the slightest.

He answered with as much of a straight face as he could muster. "If you wanted to, of course. I've eaten at your place and I feel like it's only fair if I treated you back somehow." Kyon thought that sounded like a reasonable answer, though not entirely the truth of why he asked her in the first place.

He looked down at his bowl and it was nearly empty. Not wanting to look up at her just yet as he waited for a response, he picked mindlessly at a few stray grains.

"I'd like that," she finally said.

A smile grew on his face without warning, bright and relieved. He placed his chopsticks across the top of his bowl and bowed his head in thanks. He could probably get used to meals like this. Something about Nagato's presence was very calming, like a warm cup of tea.

"Good, I'm glad," he said in all seriousness.

It was a step in the right direction, he supposed. And it would also give him ample time to discuss the meaning of the bookmark that still wiggled in the back of his mind. They had been interrupted earlier that day in class and Nagato was unable to answer him.

But instead of bringing it up now, Kyon dived into a similar discussion from the previous night; all about their club's many exploits. The journey of the SOS Brigade continuously amazed him no matter how apathetic towards it he might project outwardly. After all, he sacrificed a normal life for it.

Nagato interjected seldomly, if at all, but she seemed content to watch him speak. Or at least that's what he hoped the blank expression on her face meant.

He worked to bring her in on the conversation. "Remember when you and Haruhi performed in that concert? You really know how to play the guitar, huh? Pretty impressive. Can you play anything else?"

"I can learn what is needed of me."

Kyon changed tactics quickly, towards something that spoke less of her alien attributes. "Is there something you wish you could learn?"

Nagato sat silently for a moment, her hands folded on her lap. Kyon imagined she was thinking very seriously about her answer, or that she was too shy to share. 'Fat chance,' his thoughts came unwillingly and he brushed them aside, dedicating the entirety of his attention on her words.

"Art."

'Now there's an answer,' Kyon thought with a grin. There was nothing more meaningful as a medium such as art when it came to expressing oneself. If Nagato wished to master such a thing, it was within the realm of possibility of truly demonstrating how she felt. It filled him with an odd hope.

As yesterday, Kyon began to feel like he was overstaying his welcome and moved to stand. Before Nagato could react to his movements, he quickly snatched her dishware and utensils out from under her and made his way into the kitchen. She followed him closely from behind and Kyon got the sense she was making sure he didn't stumble upon anything she didn't wish for him to see. The action seemed very 'girl-like' to him and he resisted another triumphant smile.

He began to wash the dishes in silence, Nagato hovering wordlessly behind him. Kyon watched her from the corner of his eye, waiting patiently for her to voice whatever she was itching to say.

Instead, she stepped forward and occupied the open space next to him; grabbing hold of the dish he just finished cleaning and then helped him move on to the next one.

Like that, they finished washing the dishes together. Kyon crossed his arms and admired their handiwork as Nagato stepped back and did the same. Her gaze travelled from the sink and up to his almost smug expression.

The act of washing dishes with a friend was all very 'lived-in' to him and the thought gave Kyon a minor peace. One that he hoped would transfer over to his stoic companion.

"Thank you for the meal," he said, realizing he ought to have said such a thing earlier as they made their way to the front door.

"Anytime." Nagato seemed to be favoring that word, Kyon mused.

At the threshold of her apartment, the pair stood on either side, mimicking the image of last night's event, though the situation and mood felt completely different. Kyon internally balked at his actions of before, wondering what must have possessed him to become so handsy with the smallest brigade member. He had hugged her; _twice_ no less. And now here, at the brink of their farewell, Kyon wondered briefly if he ought to hug her again, at least in goodbye.

'Friends hug, don't they?' he thought, rather foolishly. He certainly couldn't remember ever hugging the rest of the SOS Brigade… as much as he might have wanted to. At least, a handful of them, though forget Koizumi-

Sparing him of anymore thinking, Nagato spoke up, a curious hesitance to her voice. "…Can I tell you something?"

"Of course," Kyon said immediately. Whenever Nagato chose to speak, let alone ask to speak, he took it with great reverence knowing that the occurrence was so rare. This moment felt even more important to him, weighed with a grand introduction.

She peered up at him, her eyes capturing his. "Events that transpire tomorrow may come to trouble you. Whatever happens, do not worry."

Kyon nodded in understanding. Even like this, Nagato seemed to be worrying about him and how he felt, at least in as many words as she could muster _._ His eyes crinkled in a smile and any and all uncertainty he had about hugging the gray-haired girl was thrown out the window.

"See you tomorrow, Nagato," he said into her ear before releasing his hold on her.

Whatever ominous warning Nagato unintentionally gave about the happenings of the next day was completely lost on him at the moment. As he turned away from her, Kyon couldn't help remarking that Nagato seemed to have raised her hands to embrace _him first_ before he'd even stepped completely forward.

Or perhaps he had just imagined that.

* * *

AN: Long time no see! I can't believe a year can just pass like that... it feels like just yesterday that I updated this.

Among all the things I've written for this site, this story is honestly my favorite of them all and I would be remiss not to finish it. It was hard to go back to a similar style of writing since I feel like I've changed dramatically in the past year but I hope I captured the feeling that I was going for in the past. My old document was _rife_ with side notes and ideas so I definitely had a clue about where I was taking this.

Sorry nothing really happens in this chapter, lol. I know I mentioned something about picking up the pace but I just couldn't resist another chapter of their developing relationship to one another. It really was my goal from the beginning.

Anyway, thank you all for your kind words. Please enjoy and review!


	7. Chapter 7

_"It figures you'd want to experience emotions when you've never even had them. I mean, didn't you want to shout or cry or yell "leave me alone, I've had enough"? sometimes? Well, even if you never thought about that stuff, it's normal for you to want to. You should have been allowed to do that. I'm partly to blame too. Without thinking, I made it a habit to rely on you more and more. I wouldn't think for myself. It was always "Oh, Nagato can fix this. She can do anything". Turns out, I'm an even bigger idiot than Haruhi."_

* * *

"You haven't been home for dinner lately, Kyon-kun! Where've you been?" His sister accosted him as soon as he walked in the door.

He quickly dodged her outstretched hands and made his way to his room. "Out," he said easily, carefully avoiding the topic of Nagato. For some reason, he didn't want his sister to know who exactly he was hanging out with. His sister's persistent whines could be heard trailing from behind and he quickly shut the door and fell into bed. Shamisen the calico cat turned over in annoyance. He hadn't even noticed he was there.

His hand draped over his face as he let out a tired sigh, glancing at a book sitting harmlessly on his desk. The one Nagato had loaned him. He sat up and brought the book between his hands. He had figured the bookmark was the largest piece of the puzzle and hadn't even considered the possibility of the book meaning something. He didn't even know what kind of mystery he was attempting to solve anyway. Was it really so important that he know what Nagato meant by lending this to him? If it was of any true importance, and he was meant to figure it out sooner or later, Nagato would have made sure that he discovered its truth, wouldn't she?

'She's being awfully vague this time…' Kyon thought, flipping through page after page for another clue. He mulled over the evidence he had thus far and found he had absolutely nothing to go on except for the bookmark and Nagato's curious words. Either of which didn't help. That left the book, but Nagato had never required any reading of him in order to get a point across. He felt it would be easier that she just tell him in that straight-forward tone of hers.

He opened the book up to the first page anyway, out of mere curiosity, and began to read.

…

Kyon awoke with the book on his face. He read as much as he could last night. It was an interesting story; a science fiction mystery romance. It didn't strike him as too out of the ordinary. He knew Nagato enjoyed her sci-fi. Heck, she was practically a sci-fi character in her own right. Maybe she felt connected to creatures and robots of a similar nature.

Particularly the robot of this tale… she falls in love with a human but because of her state of being, could never truly pursue anything. She constantly questioned her feelings and existence, passing it off as mere programming than any real self- awareness.

Kyon scratched his head. He had to be dumb not to see the similarities between this character and Nagato. She was in the same boat… a robot that doubted her own emotions. He wanted to groan. ' _Is this how Nagato feels?'_ The thought made him frown. _'Was this her version of a cry for help? …But even this seems a little on the nose for Nagato.'_

But in the end, Kyon couldn't do anything for her. He didn't know what he could do besides convince Haruhi to change her mind or to get the Data Overmind to reconsider Nagato's 'purpose.' Neither thing seemed feasible so the best thing he could do for her was stay by her side and help her whenever she needed him, which wasn't very often anyway. He was often relying on her, wasn't he?

He deposited the book back on his desk, lingered on the cover for a second, and then got ready for school. It was going to be a long day.

…

School passed by in quick succession, the fear of any approaching tests made apprehension ripple throughout the hallways, coupled with the apathetic ease of students who couldn't care less. Kyon felt rather indifferent about the whole thing. However, in class, he could sense the jittering of the girl behind him, her hands in fists as she shook lightly from excitement.

Excitement that had nothing to do with academics in the slightest. The girl in question placed two fingers in the crook of his back and poked sharply.

Kyon flinched and turned to her against his will.

Haruhi leveled him with a haughty stare. "You ready to be destroyed, Kyon?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," he deadpanned in response.

"Perk up, Kyon! I need everyone at their top form today or else I won't have a single worthy competitor!"

"Do you ever?" he said, almost to himself.

"Oh ho~ so you _have_ been paying attention?" She turned and began mumbling to herself, something about inviting other people 'up to the challenge.'

Kyon turned away, a smirk on his face. Regardless of Koizumi's words, there are some parts of Haruhi he figured would never change and the thought gave him relief. He quickly tried to dismiss the feeling.

His head dipped lower and he switched to ignoring her as usual as her rantings grew louder, calling unwanted attention from the rest of the classroom. He prayed silently that Haruhi kept other unsuspecting and innocent people out of this but he was daft to hope at all.

…

The clubroom was already bustling with activity by the time Kyon slowly made his way over. Taniguchi was there, fawning over an oblivious Mikuru, already dressed in her maid outfit, probably at the insistence of Haruhi as the club's mascot. _'She couldn't have found her a more fitting attire for the occasion?'_ Kyon thought offhandedly. He banished the thought as Tsuruya teased and prodded Mikuru relentlessly nearby, a high-pitched cry escaping the time-traveler's mouth. Kunikida stood by idly, a light and pleasant smile on his face. Haruhi was totally engrossed at the board, erasing the previous day's tournament sketch and opting instead for a double-elimination style to accompany the larger group.

Neither of Kyon's friends acknowledged his presence, probably too enraptured by the promise of the afternoon. They had rushed over as soon as class ended but Kyon had taken his sweet time, dragging one foot in front of the other. He didn't know the source of his fatigue, but whatever it was, made him more apprehensive than usual.

It certainly was messing with his calm demeanor and he needed something or someone to balance him out, someone actually calm he could latch onto for strength. And with Asahina currently occupied…

Only one person really came to mind. Kyon made his way over to the window. Predictably, Nagato was there staring out into the field below. Her lap still devoid of any literature.

"Nagato," he began, "how are you feeling?" He wasn't sure why that was the first thing he thought to ask but it just felt right.

She turned to him with all the interest of a bored housewife. "Functional," she answered.

Kyon thought that was as good an answer as any and peered around the room. "Where's Koizumi?" he asked without really wanting to know. He just didn't like the idea of the smiling man being somewhere where he couldn't see him.

Before she could answer, the man in question burst into the room, an apologetic grin adorning his face. "Excuse me for being late! I had some business to attend to," he pleaded in Haruhi's direction. She honestly would be the only one who would care. Or did she only care when Kyon was late?

"Nevermind, Koizumi-kun! You're here right on time!" Haruhi called in response, getting up from her crouched position against the board. She turned it towards the now hushed crowd who regarded it with mixed expressions.

Kyon frowned. Were that him who was so late, she would have punished him into next week.

Once all eyes were on her, Haruhi launched into what Kyon thought was an unnecessary explanation of the tournament rules. She detailed the order and (she claimed) that it was in a randomized order she drew from a hat. It would begin with four simultaneous instances of the simplest of games, and following that, the winners would challenge each other and so on, like a regular tournament style. "However!" she stuck a finger at the group, "this is double elimination! So the losers still have a chance to make a come-back and claim victory!" As it went, the losers of the first round would face each other and so on and so on. Kyon had stopped listening as his eyes swept over the line-up.

It was as follows:

Round 1-

Koizumi vs. Taniguchi  
Yuki vs. Mikuru

Kyon vs. Tsuruya  
Haruhi vs. Kunikida

Kyon figured it seemed simple enough. He looked over at Tsuruya who was grinning open-mouthed at the prospect of being involved. Her pointed tooth giving her a rather silly appearance. Sensing she was being watched, Tsuruya turned to look at him, her mouth closing in a self-confident grin. She winked at him and Kyon nearly reared back, not expecting the exchange. He always thought there was more to Tsuruya than met the eye. He just didn't have nearly enough experience with her to claim anything concrete. She was always there, slightly involved, and yet not at all. Could there have ever been a chance Haruhi considered her as a member of the club? Did the thought bother her that she wasn't?

Kyon shook his head, his mind wandering far too long on the subject that was the green-haired girl.

He turned away then, wondering if some other peculiar girl of the room had been acknowledging Haruhi's explanation at all. And once more, to his great displeasure, Kyon was made to bear witness to the bent form of Koizumi in front of Nagato's prone figure by the window. He was telling her something with a stern expression, no smile gracing his features. Nagato nodded in response once he was done and he returned it, his body returning upright, a grin back on his face like nothing had happened.

Whatever he said this time seemed about as serious as the uncomely smiling man could appear and it took Kyon's every ounce of will not to march over there and ask exactly what he had said to her. Nagato didn't appear cowed by his words at all, however, though it almost looked as if he were leturing her. But that couldn't possibly have been the case, right?

Kyon didn't get the opportunity to further mull over this as Haruhi loudly slapped her hand against the surface of the table. A gesture she seemed to have adapted as the best method of getting a room's attention.

"Gather 'round, everyone! Grab a seat across from your partner and let's begin! Round one… _Connect Four!"_

' _Connect Four?_ ' Kyon questioned. Now that he examined the board games stacked around the room he noticed that they were almost all western-style games. He wondered if Haruhi had grown bored of the Japanese-style assortment that Koizumi had collected over time. Or perhaps this was her method of shaking things up. If that was the case… this was quite a tame conclusion she had made.

' _Maybe Koizumi was right'_ , the thought came unbidden, _'maybe Haruhi was calming down in her overly expressive demeanor as god.'_

"Ah! And before I forget… this wouldn't be a proper tournament without a proper prize for the winner would it not?" Haruhi circled the room, a pointed finger held up by her other hand. All pairs of eyes followed her mechanically, waiting for the punch-line. "The winner will receive…" An anticipated hush fell over the room as she paused dramatically. _'Just kidding.'_ Kyon rolled his eyes in impatience.

Haruhi caught his eye and frowned at him for a split second before immediately continuing… "—Eternal glory on the SOS Brigade's newfound wall of fame!"

 _'The what?'_ Kyon's eyebrow rose. This was the first he was hearing about this. He glanced around at the surrounding walls and for the first time he noticed that one of them was covered in colorful bulletin board paper. He figured that must be it and his eyebrow fell in humor at the pathetic display. He hadn't been expecting a prize in the first place so this should have come as no surprise really. He would've tried just as hard (which is to say, not at all) to win this tournament even if the prize was an outing alone with Asahina-san. _'On second thought…'_

A few calls of excitement rose from the group, mainly from Tsuruya, and the rest got into position across from their prospective partners.

Koizumi smiled pleasantly at Taniguchi who flinched in an exaggerated but appropriate amount. Nagato stared silently at the table as Asahina looked almost half-delighted at the premise. Kunikida looked the same as ever and Haruhi just appeared determined and eager to destroy her opponent over a simple board game. Tsuruya slid into her seat in front of Kyon and offered greetings as well as a friendly challenge in his direction. She seemed just as eager as Haruhi and Kyon wondered why the two didn't hang out more.

Before Haruhi set the timer (she insisted on making sure no games went past a certain time limit), Kyon briefly speculated about the coordination of the groups. If this was Haruhi he was talking about, and considering Nagato's warning of the previous night, there had to be a catch. Though she claimed it was random, Kyon couldn't help but think there was deliberate thought put into the order or, at least, as Haruhi had been accustomed to do unbeknownst to her own self, the order had come to exist from some otherworldly place to fulfill some inner and unknown desire that she had.

Either way, Kyon's apprehension mounted the more he thought about what the alien android had said. ' _Events may come to trouble me? Don't they always?'_ He wondered if it was a warning or simply a consideration on his part. Synchronization was blocked, could Nagato still know what would happen? Kyon still couldn't see how simple board games could cause some disturbance in the forces of the universe but Nagato knew more than he ever would so he trusted her words wholeheartedly.

And she _did_ tell him not to worry.

So Kyon took a deep breath, offered Asahina an adoring grin at her innocent enthusiasm, hoped Nagato would go easy on the club's sole tea-server, glanced warily at Koizumi, ignored Haruhi's deranged smile, and then finally set his gaze on the child's play-thing in front of him.

The room was oddly charged with an excited energy considering what they were all about to do.

"Ready? START!"

…

 _'There's no ref, I cry foul.'_

Kyon was by no means bad at board games. He played them often with Koizumi in the clubroom and figured he had developed some sort of propensity towards logic-based puzzle games. Especially one as easy and simple as getting four colored discs in a row before your opponent did.

So when he looked upon the four adjacent red-tiles belonging to Tsuruya, Kyon could only grimace in disbelief. He had almost had her, so he thought, it was even a trap set-up that he had learned from the esper in the room. Supposedly he was too focused on setting it up that he hadn't even noticed Tsuruya ignoring his scheme entirely and building up a row of four outside of his line of focus.

He wasn't planning on going far in this little competition. He figured he would play as normally and make his way about halfway through before losing to someone better suited to the position (namely Haruhi if it came down to it.) What he wasn't expecting was to lose in the very first round. To Tsuruya. At a game of glorified Tic-Tac-Toe. He felt foolish.

And there was another person in the room equally incredulous at the results.

Haruhi's face was a mixture between odd disappointment and mocking disbelief as she looked upon Kyon's frozen figure staring at the colorful game.

"Kyon, you lost? I expected more from you!" She laughed a hollow laugh and grimaced, leaning over to whisper closer to his face. "You better not disappoint in the next round!"

Kyon briefly thought that that was her idea of cheering him on and almost considered nodding back at her seriously before remembering who he was. Plus, even if he did won, he would just be squaring off with Haruhi. Maybe she wanted the satisfaction of beating him…

He sat back up in his seat and watched Tsuruya exchange cheers with a smiling Asahina who had taken point against Nagato. A fact that Kyon found strange. He figured Nagato might have either not understood the game or let the time-traveler have her chance. Looking at the board in front of her told him that Nagato gave Asahina an honest fight. He still couldn't be sure if she let her win though. It didn't even occur to him that Asahina held the capacity to beat Nagato at something like this, a thought that made Kyon frown guiltily.

His eyes found the gray-haired girl sitting reticent in her chair, unmoving. She almost appeared… down, if Kyon had to apply words to her appearance. She seemed low in her seat than her usual stiff, up-right posture. He would've considered this longer when Haruhi ushered the losers back into position, announcing the 'Losers round one' of the same exact game.

Kyon sighed.

Kunikida plopped in place in front of him and Kyon resisted asking him why he and Taniguchi were even here. Kunikida just offered him a closed-eyed smile and remarked about how "willful" Haruhi was when it came to games.

 _'Judging by how quickly you lost, I'm not that surprised,'_ Kyon thought sardonically. Both Kunikida and Taniguchi met swift defeats at the hands of their foes. Koizumi having far too much experience for his own good to be defeated by a fool like Taniguchi and Haruhi being… well Haruhi. Kunikida didn't stand a chance.

They were just childish board-games. Yet a part of Kyon didn't want to lose in the first round without claiming even a single victory. By the way things were set-up, he didn't see himself going very far anyway but he knew he could at least beat someone like Kunikida, right?

He fixed Kunikida with a hard stare, willing him to submit, a sudden flare of wilting pride growing in Kyon's chest. This wasn't a group effort, the same way the baseball game or the computer club's game was, so Kyon didn't have to worry about the universe if he lost. Though it seemed Haruhi's demented need to be the best at everything must have instilled _something_ inside of him over time.

"Usually I'm quite good at these sorts of things," Kunikida commented and Kyon tried not to scoff at his friend. If he lost here, it was the end.

Instead of answering, Kyon's head turned to the movement beside him as Nagato re-took her seat towards the middle of the table, the rest of the games having been swiftly cleaned up.

Kyon couldn't help but bend his head down to ask her quickly before the games resumed. "Are you okay?"

Nagato merely nodded, her eyes never leaving the center of the table. Kyon couldn't think of anything else to say, and the crowd was making it even harder to find words. Whatever it was that was plaguing her, and he was sure it was something, he definitely couldn't pry it out of her just now.

He offered her a lopsided smile. "Well, do your best. I'd hate to see Taniguchi get a big head winning one over on someone like you."

At this, Nagato finally swiveled her head towards him, her eyes bright and open, as if she were studying him and waiting for some sort of clarification. After a moment, she nodded in understanding. Kyon didn't understand what she had took from that exchange, but after that, Nagato's posture changed.

Kyon blinked and then watched with disdain as Taniguchi interrupted to try and make friendly chatter with Nagato's stiff figure. He didn't seem at all perturbed by his loss, just happy to be in the company of the girls of the SOS Brigade. He probably wasn't even trying, which annoyed Kyon further.

As Haruhi marked the results on the chalkboard. The rest of the occupants of the room gathered around the loser's circle. This time, there would be an audience and Kyon didn't want to disappoint.

* * *

AN: Heeeey Happy Holidays everyone! I'm happy to be updating so soon. I remember when I was writing this story about a year ago. Almost exactly a year ago actually lol. And even though there's like 5 of you reading, I just want to see this story come to life and the few of you reading give me the motivation to continue :) I know this fandom is pretty dead these days... especially this rare pair haha.

So Finally _something_ is happening... well, sorta. Thanks for sticking around this far if you have! Please leave a review if you have something on your mind, I love seeing what people are taking away from my stories.


	8. Chapter 8

_"Don't worry, I won't let them."_

* * *

...

' _Sink or swim,'_ thought Kyon triumphantly to himself. He inwardly cringed when the thoughts came to him unwillingly. What had gotten into him?

Kunikida merely shrugged like he didn't care that he just got the beat-down of a lifetime. Kyon glanced at the plastic board in front of him where a smug line of four connected pieces shined in all their glory. It had been easy. His trap move worked perfectly this time, once he learned to pay attention to the rest of the pieces being placed around him. Swift.

Once Kyon realized his concentration on the board could finally loosen, he swiveled his head in the only direction that mattered.

"Nagato, how's it go-" Kyon began but the words faltered in his mouth when he saw the utter defeat of her opponent.

Taniguchi was rubbing the back of his head in what Kyon assumed to be a sheepish gesture. Well, he ought to be ashamed with what challenge he brought against Nagato. Which is to say, none at all.

The board in front of the stoic brigade member was barely filled in the slightest. She must have defeated him in the four turns it would take to place four pieces in the first place. Nagato stood, in that polite way of hers, and pushed her chair in. If Kyon could read body language, she was 'dropping the mic' on what he assumed was the easiest win of her life.

Before Kyon could enjoy the sight much further and offer Nagato his own congratulatory grin, Haruhi was screeching nearby, adopting the role of a pterodactyl turned referee.

" _AND TANIGUCHI WITH A STAGGERING DEFEAT! YUKI MAKES A TRIUMPHANT AND GLORIOUS RETURN!"_

Haruhi quickly turned to the board and marked in the results with all the energy of a canary on speed. Taniguchi and Kunikida's names crossed out with an unnecessarily large 'X.' Kyon and Nagato would be moving on to the next round within the Loser's bracket.

Kyon frowned. He couldn't recall hearing the results of his own triumphant win. His frown deepened when he realized how childish he was being. ' _This is the Haruhi-effect in full-force_ ,' he reasoned.

As Haruhi finished re-writing in the names for the next round ( _"Checkers!")_ , Kyon took this time to take in his surroundings, having already settled into the mood of the tournament.

The rest of the room was buzzing with a light energy that Kyon could almost find pleasant. Without the risk of the world being at stake, Kyon thought for a second that they just might be a normal club engaging in the world's least interesting tournament ever conceived. And though it went beyond his excitement towards a normal life, it was abuzz with some other feeling he couldn't exactly put a name to.

Tsuruya and Mikuru were chatting as usual, with Tsuruya glancing over in his direction every once in a while. Kunikida and Taniguchi stood off to the side, attempting to intercept their conversation and become relevant again. ' _Losers must exit through the door that way.'_

And last but not least, Kyon was beyond words to be witnessing Nagato and Koizumi, once again, engaged in what he could only assume was a heated exchange. Nagato wasn't even looking at the taller man and though Koizumi's face was calm, his mouth moved in a flurry of indistinct scoldings. Or so Kyon thought. He didn't like it in the slightest, whatever it was.

He briefly wondered if their frequent conversing had anything to do with the 'false alarm' they both felt yesterday. Or if Koizumi and Nagato's factions really _were_ beginning to work closely together. Either thought made Kyon a little nervous.

But nothing was worse than seeing the way Koizumi spoke to Nagato and how she just _took it_.

But before Kyon could intercede, or even stand up from his chair, Haruhi was already slamming new boards down on the table. The tell-tale square pattern of a Checkers board. Another easy to play, slightly more difficult to win, type of board game.

"Everyone! Take your seats!" Haruhi said, grabbing the attention of the room. "We had an exciting first round… not without its upsets," she glanced at Kyon in that moment and he pretended not to notice. "But with this next round, we grow closer to the much deserved victor!" She smiled wide.

' _I'm sure you mean yourself_ ,' Kyon thought, almost unnecessarily. He was sure everyone was thinking the exact same thing.

The tournament was updated:

Round 2-

Koizumi vs. Mikuru

Tsuruya vs. Haruhi

With Nagato and Kyon squaring off with the loser of each.

Kyon didn't like the looks of this, especially concerning the innocent Mikuru. Knowing Koizumi, Kyon doubted his charming good-looks would ever transfer over into forfeiting a win for the sake of a pretty girl. ' _No,_ ' thought Kyon, ' _Asahina-san will surely be destroyed._ '

Grimacing at his own doubtful thoughts towards Asahina's abilities once again, he turned his mind over to the other pair.

Tsuruya and Haruhi were already staring each other down, a smirk donning either face. Kyon could just _see_ the electricity burning between the two of them. He didn't know what to make of it, and though there was no doubt in Kyon's mind that Haruhi wouldn't lose, he couldn't help but think that Tsuruya was exactly the type of challenge that Haruhi was looking for.

' _Whatever it's worth, I'm glad to see them face off.'_ Kyon silently appreciated the situation. Not even questioning why he was happy for Haruhi in this regard. He hoped this tournament would open the doors for Tsuruya joining the Brigade on more of their whacky antics.

Competitiveness taking hold over the room, the SOS Brigade and guests silently gathered around the table. Even Kyon couldn't deny this time around that everyone was suddenly taking this silly situation at least a little seriously. Even with _literally nothing_ at stake (and no, he wasn't counting the so-called 'wall of fame' as a prize.)

Asahina was biting her nails in anticipation as she took her seat with Kunikida and Taniguchi offering her words of encouragement nearby. Koizumi, stone-faced as always, sat confidently in his seat. He smiled close-eyed at Asahina and Kyon couldn't stifle a chill down his neck. That was the smile of a killer… at board games, at least.

Tsuruya and Haruhi sat down at an equal pace, not once taking their eyes off of the other as if looking away would open themselves up for attack. Kyon resisted the urge to roll his eyes but did so anyway. Still, he found himself grinning, in what he feared to be genuine excitement.

Nagato came up to stand beside him, and were he anybody else, he wouldn't have noticed her statue-like presence.

Without prompting, she spoke, catching Kyon off-guard.

"I did my best," she said in barely a whisper. It was a message just for him.

Once her words and demeanor of the game sunk in, Kyon cracked a smile. One word of encouragement and Nagato shot towards her easy victory. She went from being 'down' in her seat and losing to Asahina, to obliterating her opponent.

"You sure did," he replied before turning his attention back to the table. As glad as he was that she perked up, he also hoped this wasn't another example of Nagato 'obeying him.' Koizumi's smug face once more popped unwillingly into his mind and Kyon glared at the physical version of the esper sitting mere feet in front of him.

He could return to those thoughts later and offer his own interpretation, but for now Kyon wanted nothing more than to imagine Nagato was instilled with competitiveness and a desire to see Taniguchi defeated just as much as he did.

It was all he could do at the moment.

"Are you ready?" Haruhi announced to the room from her seated position. "Round 2… _START!"_

…

The timer ticked down. It was difficult for Kyon to keep up. On one hand, Asahina made decisions with a deliberate slowness that implied she was thinking very carefully about her next moves. While Koizumi, his ever-present smile never faltering, made quick work of whatever pieces Asahina placed down.

He quickly jumped his piece over three of her tiles, rendering her last few moves to make it to the other side of the board ineffective. Asahina reared back in surprise and a low gasp escaped the crowd. ' _Just kidding_.'

Asahina took on a surprisingly offensive approach, trying to 'king' as many of her pieces as possible while Koizumi chose to negate any and all attempts at her advance. It was painful to say the least. But Kyon was happy to note that maybe Asahina wasn't as bad at games as he originally assumed.

Kyon took this moment to look at Haruhi and Tsuruya's game and how it was progressing, which is to say, it wasn't really at all. Both Haruhi and Tsuruya were highly aggressive, and in doing so, made it impossible for the opposite team to either capture pieces or move across the board.

Every time Tsuruya captured one of Haruhi's pieces, the SOS Brigade club president let out a steamy huff of air; her shoulders rising like a cat's in pure hostility. While Tsuruya was as calm and confident as ever. Her fang-toothed smile mocking Haruhi into making a mistake, or so Haruhi probably assumed.

' _Why am I analyzing this,'_ Kyon wondered, rubbing his scalp. He was starting to become worried. As simple and innocent as the games appeared, he always tended to underestimate the craziness that accompanied Haruhi wherever she went.

And judging by Haruhi's current expression, things would not go well if Tsuruya were to win one against their capricious god.

Kyon turned to Nagato, hoping for some sort of reassurance that he still had nothing to worry about.

"Nagato," he whispered behind his palm.

She looked at him, broad-eyed and calculating. "Yes?"

"Is everything okay? I mean—" he gestured to the room. A.K.A. _the world_.

Nagato's following silence unnerved him, like she was trying to find the best way to put this. But she merely turned her attention back to the games at hand.

"Perhaps."

' _Perhaps? Perhaps? That is NOT the word I was hoping for, Nagato!'_ Kyon sighed.

"These are the longest games of checkers I have ever seen," commented Taniguchi. Haruhi angrily shushed him.

After a moment, Asahina's quiet voice rose up. "Ah…" Koizumi had filled the board and she no longer had any more viable moves. "Good game, Koizumi-kun."

He nodded his head. "You were a worthy opponent, Asahina-san."

Kyon scoffed. He idly wondered if this was some metaphor for their factions warring with one another. But relief filled him to see one game was finally over with a predictable conclusion.

The other game on the other hand… their game was nearing to a close, but both neck and neck in terms of pieces or moves. Their boards nearly wiped clean. Kyon wanted to just sweep the board off the table and end this nonsense.

But he didn't have to do anything… since suddenly Asahina came and placed a soft hand against Tsuruya's shoulder. To anyone else, it might have looked like a meaningless gesture, and perhaps it was, but soon after…

"Haru-nyan! I can't go on! You win this round!" And Tsuruya threw her hands up in a dramatic motion.

Even Haruhi looked confused. She stared at Tsuruya, open-mouthed, looked down at the board, then back at the grinning green-haired girl, and then closed her mouth into a confident grin of her own. Just as planned.

Haruhi crossed her arms and 'harumph'd.' Her cockiness never left her in a minute. Kyon resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. ' _Glad that's over.'_

"Nice try, Tsuruya-san. And good game!" Haruhi slammed her palms down on the table and surveyed the room. "Another successful round!" She pointed at Kyon specifically. "Losers! You know the drill."

' _I'm sure an unsuccessful round is the one where you lose,'_ Kyon thought. But still immediately took his seat. ' _If Haruhi stills needs to be kept in check when it came to checkers…'_ he couldn't imagine the world in which Haruhi lost. It just couldn't come to pass.

Asahina sat down across from him and he offered her an encouraging smile. She looked like she was still having fun in some form. This must be where she truly shines. "Great job, Asahina-san. I'm sure you could have had him."

She giggled in that endearing way of hers and merely shrugged. "I just got a little lucky. Please don't hold back on me, Kyon-kun!" Her plea seemed genuine, and though Kyon had originally planned on going easy on the time-traveler, he now felt that holding back was more insulting than not.

"Yeah, Asahina-san, put Kyon in his place!" Taniguchi piped up out of nowhere, pumping his fist. Kunikida smiled pleasantly next to him in agreement.

' _Go away, I wasn't talking to you_ ,' Kyon glared.

Nagato was already waiting patiently when Tsuruya finally decided to take her seat. Apparently losing to Haruhi was not a bother to her in the slightest since her fang tooth was on prominent display when she smiled. _'At least someone is having fun._ '

" _LOSERS ROUND 2! PREPARE YOURSELVES!"_

Haruhi was back to yelling. And wanting to stop unnecessarily worrying about some imaginary problem, Kyon turned to the board and got to playing. Knowing Asahina's play style from the previous round would give him a great advantage. As well as having played checkers on numerous occasions (including several variations like Chinese Checkers, Go, and even mancala) with Koizumi, Kyon figured he had a decent strategy under his belt.

Kyon knew he had nothing to worry about with Nagato. He felt her presence next to him, her arm moving upwards to grab her first piece.

"Good luck, Nagato," he said, knowing she wouldn't need it.

…

"Thank you, Kyon-kun! It was a lot of fun being able to play against you. I still have a lot to learn!" Mikuru bowed in her seat as if checkers was some sort of formal event.

"Ah, Asahina-san, that's really not necessary…" Kyon rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "You did very well." Suddenly he was wondering if he ought to have just let the bumbling mascot win. He had nothing to gain from defeating her…

And yet when he looked up at the updated tournament board, he saw that he would be squaring up against Nagato in the next round.

Nagato took point against Tsuruya, who must have given an honest fight. Her toothy grin not once wavering, even in the face of elimination. "Nyoro~! Lost my groove! Yuki is a sharp one."

"Wow Kyon, maybe you won't be a complete disappointment after all!" Haruhi commented as she stepped back from the bracket, admiring her work.

"Maybe I'll be facing you in the final round," he replied with joking disdain.

"HAH!" The brigade president let out a loud snorting laugh that Kyon found decidedly unladylike. He grimaced when her laugh continued on for far longer than necessary. "You'd need all the help in the world for that to happen!" She circled around the room, once more gathering the attention of the room. "Especially once you see the final game of the tournament. Pure skill needed, Kyon!"

She ducked under a desk, and pulled out just another tattered board game. It was chess. A soft gasp escaped the mouths of Mikuru and Tsuruya. The only two with any real investment left in this game.

"Both the regular and loser's bracket will be facing off at the same time. The winners of each will then continue on to the ultimate finisher!" Haruhi immediately busied herself with setting up the pieces on the table.

Kyon took that moment to turn to his alien opponent. For some reason, it never occurred to him that the two might verse each other. He didn't think he would even make it this far. He figured he had no chance against her anyway but hoped she was at least having fun. He voiced these thoughts.

Nagato sat, hands folded in her lap as she took in his words. In some split dimension, Kyon thought he could almost imagine a quirk of her lips, something akin to a smile, but it was surely just some trick of the light. He quelled his odd hope.

Her head tilted slightly to him. "Do your best," was all she said.

Kyon grinned and nodded. He certainly would.

…

* * *

AN: I love you guys. I am the worst at updating my stories and yet some of you still stick around and read. This is my favorite story and I just don't want to give up on it. I keep getting distracted by other stories and just life in general.

But here it is! Another update! I promise this Tournament arc is coming to a close soon and it has a point, I swear lol. I have this problem of sometimes being a little _too_ subtle about what I'm trying to say. It's something I struggle with as a screenwriter as well (did I mention I study film?) And I did say this story was slow-burn. And boy did I mean slow. I just can't possibly write Nagato as being more emotional than she is. It just completely takes me out of a story. Subtle... subtle... Nagato is very subtle. So forgive me if things aren't progressing in a way you might prefer! It's coming... something is...

Anyway, more SOS Brigade shenanigans. I love just writing them messing around. When I look back at my old chapters, my writing sure has changed a lot. I'm really trying to keep it consistent but it gets more and more difficult instead. I feel like I'm losing it sometimes.

Please review! And thanks for reading.


End file.
